Declan Rice: Thomas Tuchel issues new injury update after Arsenal star leaves England duty early | OneFootball

Arsenal midfielder could be a doubt for upcoming games against Southampton and Sporting

The midfielder is expected to play a key role for England at this summer’s World Cup but returned to his club less than 24 hours after joining up with his national team.

He and his Arsenal team-mate Bukayo Saka had been part of an 11-strong group of England players handed a mid-season rest instead of featuring in Friday’s 1-1 friendly draw with Uruguay.

All 11 were at Wembley watching on from the stands, but an FA statement on Saturday evening confirmed that Rice and Saka had joined their club team-mate Noni Madueke — who suffered a knee injury against Uruguay — in returning to Arsenal ahead of schedule and dropping out of the squad ahead of Tuesday’s friendly against Japan.

Tuchel explained that both Saka and Rice were carrying knocks following Arsenal’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City when they were originally named in a 35-player England squad and that he hoped they would shake them off in time for the Japan match yet neither did.

“They were in treatment,” Tuchel revealed on Monday. “We knew we needed to make a medical assessment here [with England].

“And we knew with Declan, we have two No8s in camp. So if Declan says ‘I’m ready to go [and play against Japan]’, maybe we would have released one. Very likely.

“Declan said no. OK, both of them have to stay. So that was the procedure.”

Declan Rice has been a key player for Arsenal this season

Arsenal FC via Getty Images

The England head coach, 52, added: “They [Rice and Saka] both came. Declan was even out on the pitch. He did not come and say ‘Guys, I’m going home’. I heard there were camps where players did not even show up with boots and stuff — but they both came.

“Declan had a session together with Jude [Bellingham] on the pitch, tried, and said it doesn’t feel right. Why would I push him? What would we gain from that? Declan is a key player, Bukayo is a key player, why would I take this risk?”

Tuchel preferred not to discuss the details of Rice’s injury but said: “He feels a discomfort since quite a while, and he’s playing through it.

“He is just now on the edge, where he thinks, ‘Does this make sense, what I’m doing here, to push through with 70 per cent [fitness] and push myself and push myself?’ And the same with Bukayo.”